• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Talented Team
    • Anti-hate Speech Policy
  • Terms Of Service
  • Free Printables
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

DIY Home & Garden

A DIY & Gardening Resource

  • Home Page
  • DIY Projects
    • Upcycling
  • Home
    • Cleaning and Organizing
    • Holidays
      • Christmas
      • Valentine’s Day
      • Easter
      • Fourth of July
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Memorial Day
      • Mother’s Day
    • Home Safety
    • Home Decor
    • Pets
    • Real Estate
  • Gardening
  • Herbal and Natural Wellness
  • Recipes
    • Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Salads
    • Venison Recipes
    • Home Canning and Preserving
      • Canning
      • Dehydrating
      • Freezer Recipes
  • Travel
Home » Picky Eater Seniors: How to Entice Your Aging Parent to Eat
Picky Eater Seniors: How to Entice Your Aging Parent to Eat

Picky Eater Seniors: How to Entice Your Aging Parent to Eat

08/06/2021 By Deborah T

Love us? Share us!

Are you the caretaker for a picky eater senior citizen? With an aging baby boomer population, many Gen X children and older millennials are now looking after an aging parent.

As your parents get older, it’s natural that you’ll want to go out of your way to make sure they’re eating well and are comfortable. As they age, they may not have the energy to prepare healthy foods and lose their appetites. They might even have other issues such as missing teeth can make mealtimes less enjoyable. 

Having someone who follows up on their diet ensures they’re eating the right amounts of food to help them achieve their nutrition goals. Not getting enough nutrition from their diet can lead to more health concerns. How do you deal with a picky eater?

Plan the Meals Together

Many seniors are conscious that they’re losing their independence, and when you involve them in deciding the meal plan, they’ll be more cooperative. Give them different healthy options to choose from and note their favorite meals. If possible, let them participate in the meal preparation. They’ll feel more in control of their diet and will be eager to eat the food they’ve prepared.

Include Delicious But Healthy Options for a Picky Eater Senior

A sickness, certain medications, and boredom can lower the appetite of a picky eater senior citizen. But going out of your way to prepare delicious options encourages them to eat. Think of oven-baked baby back ribs recipe and any other delicacies they will love. You can even give them a treat for finishing the food.

When serving the food, ask them how they like it- extra hot or warm. You can even add a little bit of a favorite dressing, pepper, or other seasonings to improve the taste and encourage them to eat more. Also, serve smaller portions but have the meals more frequently.

Allow them to snack on fruits and vegetables, but refrain from giving out sweets because they can lead to tooth decay and blood sugar issues. However, adjust the menu accordingly to accommodate any special dietary needs or restrictions. Working with a dietician can help when you need advice on healthy meal plans.

Keep Mealtimes Interesting

It’s boring when you have to take your meals alone locked in your room. Many people, as they age, love the company of their loved ones. Having meals together will encourage them to eat more. Even if it’s just one meal a day you share, it will make them more social, happier, and more willing to eat more.

Also, keep the environment where they have their meals interesting. If they love the outdoors and nature, design a unique dinner table in your garden where you can occasionally have your meals. Keeping their mealtimes happy, a time to socialize and have fun, makes them look forward to eating. 

senior citizen

Keep a Picky Eater Senior Busy During the Day

The more active you are, the hungrier you’ll get. Sitting all day is not challenging enough to make your loved one get hungry often. Encourage them to go for walks, take up safe and manageable physically demanding activities and get involved in family activities. 

When their days are busy, they’ll tend to eat more because they’re using more energy. When they’re sick and bedridden, take them out for a walk in a wheelchair or invite their favorite friends to share a meal.

If everything fails, consult their doctor. Perhaps a health condition or medication is affecting their appetite.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Deborah T
Deborah T
Editor and author at DIY Home & Garden, a Word Innovations publication
Deborah Tayloe is a full-time blogger, children's book author, and freelance writer, contributing to large publications.

She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificate in Natural Health from a fully-accredited program and is a Certified Herbologist. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.

Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."

Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.

Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
Deborah T
Latest posts by Deborah T (see all)
  • The Explosive Truth of PYREX vs. pyrex - 08/15/2023
  • Viola, Violet, and Pansy: Close Relatives But Distinct Flowers - 08/11/2023
  • Purple D’Oro Daylily: A Regal Touch of Elegance - 08/10/2023
Tweet

Filed Under: Herbal and Natural Wellness Tagged With: help senior citizens, picky eater, senior citizen

About Deborah T

Deborah Tayloe is a full-time blogger, children's book author, and freelance writer, contributing to large publications.

She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificate in Natural Health from a fully-accredited program and is a Certified Herbologist. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.

Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."

Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.

Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.

Primary Sidebar

Click for details on our latest travel deal

book vip cancun travel

Here’s Why You Should Plant Sunflowers in the Garden:

https://youtu.be/ZwvPDTbs9U0

You Won’t Even Notice You Tossed These Cluttery Things:

https://youtu.be/z16ZRMC4wbE

Don’t Suffer, Try This Bath to Soothe Itchy Skin:

https://youtu.be/SUxl9UL7QDw

Footer

Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer

DIY Home & Garden is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

DIY Home & Garden does not constitute or intend to provide medical, health, financial, legal, or other professional advice. This website is for entertainment purposes only.

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Terms Of Service
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 · DIY Home & Garden

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

DIY Home & Garden
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.